Compare the2025 Audi new SQ5VS 2025 BMW X4 M

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Audi new SQ5 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X4 M doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the new SQ5 and X4 M have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new SQ5 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X4 M’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the new SQ5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X4 M doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The new SQ5 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X4 M doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The new SQ5 has Car-to-X Services, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The X4 M doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure.

The Audi new SQ5 offers an optional Top View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the BMW X4 M doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the new SQ5 and X4 M have rear cross-traffic warning, but the new SQ5 has Rear Cross-Traffic Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X4 M’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the new SQ5 and the X4 M have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 1 place higher in reliability than BMW.

On the EPA test cycle the new SQ5 gets better mileage than the X4 M:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi new SQ5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The X4 M requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi new SQ5 higher (4 out of 10) than the BMW X4 M (2). This means the new SQ5 produces up to 15.6 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X4 M every 15,000 miles.

The new SQ5 offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The X4 M doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the new SQ5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The X4 M doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The front and rear suspension of the new SQ5 uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the X4 M, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The new SQ5 has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The new SQ5’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X4 M doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better maneuverability, the new SQ5’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the X4 M’s (38.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The new SQ5 has .2 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom and 2.5 inches more rear legroom than the X4 M.

The new SQ5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the X4 M with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 18.5 cubic feet). The new SQ5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X4 M with its rear seat folded (57.1 vs. 50.5 cubic feet).

The new SQ5’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X4 M doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The new SQ5’s standard Audi Advanced Key allows you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Comfort Access standard on the X4 M doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the new SQ5 has a standard rear wiper. The X4 M doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new SQ5 has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X4 M doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the new SQ5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The X4 M doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The new SQ5 Prestige has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X4 M.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi new SQ5 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X4 M.

The Audi Q5/SQ5 outsold the BMW X4 by almost six to one during 2024.